Gaming the System

[Casual]

There are rules that help us all live an orderly life together without getting in each other’s way too much. These rules range from manners to traffic laws. I try to obey all of these rules.

But then there are rules imposed upon people because it makes some people feel better at the expense of others. I disregard these rules if I can.

Learning the difference between these rules is not always as easy as it seems, as the ones of the bad sort are always phrased as though they were of the good sort.

 

[JOHN72]

Don't worry. We're just 7 thousand 837 million people in the planet..........................

 

[rajangan]

Rules are like building codes. Before them, pre code houses were judged based on how well they were built. After them, a builder could sneak by, while doing the bare minimum. We live in a loophole society specifically because we've created a structure of rules, and because that structure will never be complete enough. That's pretty much the same reason Jesus quoted the rules, "you've heard it was said...", said the law was imperfect, then explained that we are called to more than just following letters, but our hearts and a greater sense of what's true. (I'm not a Christian, but this is still the best way to explain what I'm trying to say).

 

[anotherbob]

Rule keepers are afraid of offending rule breakers.

I think it's more of a there is always a difference between rules on paper and how the rules are applied. The paper rules aren't always what's intended but designed to eliminate any ability to argue against. For example I don't think they care if people talk about certain things. I think they care if it starts to get heated. But no one can try to argue out of their thread getting closed if the rules are written as zero tolerance. I don't think for example anyone cares if someone mentions smoking weed occasionally but they don't want someone who mainly talks about that. That's my theory.

 

[olkofri]

For me it seems that I see more rule bending as of late. Is it that there is nobody backing up the outcome of rule infractions and people will just keep bending and pushing the limits of the rules?

The chief reason is the ridiculous increase in the number of rules nowadays, Many of which are ridiculous too, and onerous, and contemptible.

The old quote from the old movie comes to mind:
"Judge: 'are you showing contempt of court?'
Accused: no, I'm doing my best to hide it."

Almost everything has been weaponised into a rule nowadays, which creates resistance in level-minded people.

Take that from one who is a stickler for rules, and who, to the idiotic mantra "rules were made to be broken" has always strongly replied with "throw the rules out the window, anon you'll go that way too!"

 

[olkofri]

Learning the difference between these rules is not always as easy as it seems, as the ones of the bad sort are always phrased as though they were of the good sort.

"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil."

 

[tobefrank]

In their so-called minds, these people see themselves as go-getters, originals, frontiers people, winners. They're just bent that way. I don't think they are ever changed,

Not wanting to stereotype, but in my experience this often applies to people driving a Mercedes or BMW, at least in Australia. These people are quite happy to drive straight to the end of a queue of cars and push in at the front, rather than taking their place in the queue. Not illegal perhaps in this example, but incredibly self-entitled.

 

[Wuce Brayne]

I agree, the rules don't mean much these days. I mean, stores will still sell me Bologna on a Sunday in Tennessee, even though that's illegal in this state.

 

[skydog]

Not wanting to stereotype, but in my experience this often applies to people driving a Mercedes or BMW, at least in Australia. These people are quite happy to drive straight to the end of a queue of cars and push in at the front, rather than taking their place in the queue. Not illegal perhaps in this example, but incredibly self-entitled.

That's an interesting example because the traffic data I've seen shows that traffic flows smoother if everybody stays in their lane and then merges into one lane at the merge point like a zipper. Of course this requires people to keep a safe distance between cars which is also not readily adhered to so people end up lining up well before the merge point and causing more traffic delays.

 

[BROBS]

Not wanting to stereotype, but in my experience this often applies to people driving a Mercedes or BMW, at least in Australia. These people are quite happy to drive straight to the end of a queue of cars and push in at the front, rather than taking their place in the queue. Not illegal perhaps in this example, but incredibly self-entitled.

No, it’s just smart

 

[rajangan]

In most cases where I get upset at people breaking the rules it's because I subconsciously wish I could do the same.

I wish I could drive 90 in a 70, and drink beer on the sidewalk. Those things would be awesome.

It actually is smart like @BROBS said, to do the zipper merge instead of the get at the back of the line merge. That's been studied, but I still get upset at those "entitled" drivers because at some level I wish I didn't give a shit about normal social expectations.

It's all about envy.

 

[cigrmaster]

When I bought my first Jaguar which was an XJ8L and it had a 300 horsepower 32 valve engine that was meant to go fast. The first thing I did was to buy a Valentine 1 radar detector. It gave me full coverage of behind me and the sides and the front. It was designed to protect me from any police radar detector. I never got a ticket. I would drive it to 150 mph on the highway. I would go 80 in a 45mph zone. I bought it to break the speed limits where ever I might be. I drove it hard and that was why I bought it in the first place. Was I a rule breaker??? Hell yeah I was and I loved that car. I loved it so much that I bought another Jag which was the Vanden Plas model. It had those cool burl wood trays in the back seat. It had the same engine as my first one so I knew what the car could do. After a cigar event one night I was racing my buddy who had a BMW M5. At 150 he punched his and left me in the dust. Yeah I am rule breaker. I have always been a rule breaker and I was told by a very successful attorney tell me sure you can break rules but not something where you can go to jail. You can take it to the line but never go over it.

I ran my businesses that way and fortunately for me I was never audited or looked at and I never even got a fine or anything like that no matter what I did. I was prepared in case I was looked at as I made sure I never broke a rule I could go to jail for. I had my attorney , my accountant, and my estate attorney look at what I would do and they would make sure the only thing that could happen was a fine.

I saved so much money with that attitude. When the state of Rhode Island decided that any business no matter how small had to pay half of their employees costs for health insurance, even part timers I said screw that as that would cost me too much money. I fired everyone, took them off the books and paid them cash under the table. My employees loved that and my lawyer said I couldn't go to jail for it.

The state had no right to make laws that could put me out of business. They didn't give a shit about the small business guy, they only cared about taxing me out of business. I was already paying a fortune for state income tax and unemployment insurance. They couldn't have care less about me. They were charging me over 50,000 a year in property taxes and they kept raising that tax every year and they also raised my property value so they got more money every year. In 1990 when I opened my first business (a pool hall), they had a 10% inventory tax. So they wanted money just for stuff I might sell. Then they had a 7% sales tax on anything I sold. It was ridiculous and I refused to play that game. I never registered my business and had no sales tax license. To the state I never existed. I was a ghost and for 20 years my pool hall was open, I was never looked at. I was willing to take the risk as the worst thing that could happen was I could be fined. I never broke a law I could go to jail for. I could just play mickey the dunce and say I didn't understand what the rules were. When I opened the pool hall I never called the appropriate inspectors and I just went for an occupancy permit. They came in to see what I had built and looked at me like I was some kind of retard and I played the part. 2 weeks later I had my occupancy permit. Yeah I knew I was supposed to pull permits but I figured it would go faster if I did it my way.

When I decided I wanted to heat my pool in Rhode Island you were supposed to call Dig Safe. I wasn't about to wait for those guys so I called my plumber and asked what we could do. He looked at the job, told me I had to run 260ft of 2 inch pipe and I would have my 350,000 btu heater in half a day tops. I called my attorney who was going to be in that pool all summer and he said nope, can't go to jail.
My plumber brought in a digger, a few hours later the pipe was laid and then covered over and no one was the wiser. I broke a rule but again I didn't break the law.

In 1999 my neighbor was a Staples plaza. They built this huge wall and after the first rain storm, the wall came down and it was sheer luck no one died. Half of my plaza was wiped out. The plan they had filed with the building inspector was nothing like the wall they built. He should have gone to jail for what he signed off on. Instead they made him chief of the sewage department. This is Rhode Island and the corruption new no end. The inspector should have gone to jail and he didn't. I had no qualms about breaking their rules. I got back at them quite nicely. I have 2 tattoos, one is a celtic symbol that is a father and daughter tattoo. My oldest daughter asked me if I would get a matching tattoo and I could never say no to her so we got them. Once I had one on one arm, I decided I needed another that was a reflection of my life. It was from my favorite band Yes and my favorite song. Here is a pic of it and I pretty much lived my life like what the tattoo says.

 

[craig61a]

I agree, the rules don't mean much these days. I mean, stores will still sell me Bologna on a Sunday in Tennessee, even though that's illegal in this state.

My Bologna has a first name, it’s O-S-C-A-R...

 

[tobefrank]

That's an interesting example because the traffic data I've seen shows that traffic flows smoother if everybody stays in their lane and then merges into one lane at the merge point like a zipper. Of course this requires people to keep a safe distance between cars which is also not readily adhered to so people end up lining up well before the merge point and causing more traffic delays.

My example was not about doing the zipper merge. I have no issues there if people drive up to the front. My example is about turning lanes that have cars already stopped, backed up and lining up for a traffic light where someone drives their car up in the straight lane for the traffic light, then 'changes their mind' and pushes in at the front.

Now, I have had to do this at times when I didn't fully understand the intersection, so I'm mindful this can be a legit requirement, however it is somewhat 'amusing' to see this seems to happen most with with Merc and BMW drivers. They also don't seem beyond driving into parking spots that people are waiting for.

To be clear, I don't actually mind people bending or breaking the rules a bit as long as it doesn't impact other people or their safety.

 

[SpookedPiper]

I hear you. I delete more than half of my posts before I actually hit the “post reply” button.

Man...I thought I was the only one who did that....

Took me 20 min just to write this..

 

[BROBS]

CHOSE 60 THE EDGE

 

[rajangan]

CHOSE 60 THE EDGE

I thought it was Emose which is a Zulu or Swahili man's name.

 

[deuceswild818]

R

NOT ME

Oh no.

 

[anotherbob]

I agree, the rules don't mean much these days. I mean, stores will still sell me Bologna on a Sunday in Tennessee, even though that's illegal in this state.

that's a weirdly specific law. And what do you do with Bologna on Sundays that inspired that law? You can't tease us with something like that and not explain it.

 

[BROBS]

that's a weirdly specific law. And what do you do with Bologna on Sundays that inspired that law? You can't tease us with something like that and not explain it.

It involves the bum bum